


Peace treaty

by kaki31



Category: Hollyoaks, Starry-ho, starry-fandom
Genre: M/M, Stepdad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-21
Updated: 2016-10-21
Packaged: 2018-08-23 20:49:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8342200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaki31/pseuds/kaki31
Summary: I began this story just after Christmas episode, when Starry is officially a couple living at Lomax's; I didn't want to finish it, because things have changed a lot in Starry storyline, but finally, it is here... as a reminder of these first lovely moments...Centered on the beginning of a relationship between Harry and Leah.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic, and english is not my native language, so sorry for any errors!  
> All my thanks for Yeonhii, her help and her encouragement! Her tumblr blog is a wonderful tribute for Starry, and I love her view about people.

  
It was the kind of moment, when you know that you are awake, but still under your dream influence, some reminiscence floating just in front of your eyes... a happy moment when all your shots are great and you are leading your team to a wonderful victory... Harry was just there... even if he was slowly waking up, feeling his boyfriend’s back against him, facing away. So, turning on his side to cup his legs with Ste's, he let himself dive again into his dream.  
  
A few minutes after, while answering the questions of an enthusiastic reporter, Harry has been distracted by an unexpected murmur and movements just beside him. Ste was fussing, babbling though still deeply asleep...  
  
By reflex, Harry readjusted his grip on Ste, to calm him down; but his lover didn't stop, and began to speak louder, as an adult babbling to a baby. With a twinge of sadness, Harry understood that Ste was dreaming about Baby Hannah: along with his father's opposition, Baby Hannah's loss was the most painful shadow in their bubble of happiness.  
  
More awake now, he wondered what was the best to do, letting Ste stay in this dream or waking him up. Resting on one elbow, he began to slowly stroke Ste's shoulder, and as usual, he continued until his hip, amazed at this contact with another male body.  
  
6 months ago, he could only imagine how it could be to be with a man, and even now, he was secretly startled of how it could feel, touching him, kissing his skin and letting him do the same. Ste reacted, getting closer, but he was clearly still in his dream, still with his daughter.  
  
Harry put his mouth on Ste's neck, and breathed smoothly; getting no reaction from Ste, he kissed him at the nape, kept kissing all the way to his shoulder, and then back to his neck. At the same time, his hand was stroking Ste's arm and he finally felt him shudderring.  
Trying to awaken him in a better mood, he let his hand stroke down to his hip, while kissing him on the shoulder, then nipping his skin with his teeth. Ste groaned louder this time, clearly distracted from his dream.  
  
Harry got closer and Ste pressed back, slowly emerging from his dream. Ste half turned to watch him:  
"Hey, what are you doing here, handsome?  
\- Uh, 'don't know, searching for a naughty adventure? with a scally, perhaps... and you, having a hot dream about me, perhaps?"  
  
Ste looked away briefly then, regaining composure, gave him a smile.  
"Yeah, I was fancying this guy I saw yesterday... but from here, I see something interesting too..."  
  
So he didn't want to talk about his dream and his daughter, did he? Harry got a tight feeling in his chest, a bitterness at this thought, Ste hiding something important from him.  
  
He searched his words to talk about Baby Hannah, wanting to help Ste speak about his pain, his loss; but this kind of discussion would remind Ste how he had enjoyed so openly Sinead's leaving, finally having Ste for himself!  He was not really proud of that and this had caused a dispute between them... so he gave up, smiling back and kissing him quite deeply to close the discussion.  
  
Well, honesty was still a challenge there...  
  
**********************************************  
  
"Are you joking?"  
Ste was eager to leave the loft, kids were ready and the time was flying. But Tegan was really looking like she was desperate, not joking at all.  
" Ste, I know that it is your day with Leah and Lucas, but I really need your help now, I must replace Celine for her shift, and no-one can take Rose except you!  
\- And what about Leela? She is free in less than 40 minutes!  
\- You are joking, right? Leela will be with Cameron, do you really believe that I will let my daughter stay with them both?  
\- But we had planned to go to the theater, Rose is too young to stay quiet during the whole film...  
\- Pleeeeeaaaase...  
\- Tegan...  
\- She needs you, my little Rose; you'll go to the theater later, I will offer you the tickets!  
\- It is not that much, 3 tickets, including two kids...  
\- So?  
\- Uh, if you add the restaurant after the film...  
\- Burgers are perfect for kids, no?  
\- Tegan, don't be so stingy!  
\- Yes, yes, OK!" Tegan seemed very relieved, despite the expense.  
"Deal?  
\- Deal!"  
  
Ste entered the Hutch, with Rose in his arms, Leah and Lucas just behind, and looked around, searching for Harry. Once found, he threw himself directly on him.  
"Harry, please, I need your help!"  
His boyfriend looked at him with concern.  
" What is going on?  
\- I must take care of Rose too, so I thought of taking the kids to the park, playing ball with Lucas, while keeping an eye on Rose, but Leah isn't enthusiastic, so can you spend some time with her? It’s only for one - maybe 2 hours..."  
  
Harry didn't answer immediately, and a frowning Leah was looking at Harry, clearly unhappy about this solution.  
Everything in him was pushing him to refuse! Trying to keep a neutral smile, he searched for a plausible pretext to escape this situation. Waiting tables, training for football with Zach, cleaning the Lomax's kitchen, one of them could be convincing enough, no? And then, he noticed him: John-Paul was watching them, was watching him... John-Paul, the perfect dad, who had been so skeptical about him when he had announced wanting to help Ste raise his kids...  
  
So it was time to prove himself for the job no? So he smiled with fake confidence and answered his boyfriend:  
"Well, no problem there, I have nothing to do until 7PM, so why not?"  
  
Ste warmly smiled too, gave him Leah's backpack and drew Harry towards him for a chaste kiss on the lips.  
"See you later then, and both of you, have fun!"  
  
Harry tried to smile back, obviously not looking at Leah, who was wearing now an innocent true angel's face. Pushing her out of the Hutch, he frantically listed in his head every possibility to keep the arrogant little pest busy .  
  
  
Harry chose a random direction, without checking that Leah was really following him. Now outside, the problem was still there, what to do with a young girl? Leah interrupted him in this thought:  
"So, are you my daddy's  boyfriend?  
\- Yes...  
\- So you did lie to me last time?  
\- Yes... uh, not really, we were not really boyfriends then...  
\- And now?  
\- Yes, I am your daddy's boyfriend... We are a couple, we are living together, and...  
\- Why?"  
  
Harry fought against both irritation and panic and tried to adopt the-responsible-adult-speaking-to-a-child attitude:  
"Listen, we love each other, we want to be together, so we are living, uh, together  in the same room, no, I wanted to say, in the same flat and...  
\- I am not stupid, I know what being a couple means!  
\- OK... so what?  
\- What I am asking you, is:  why my daddy wants to be with you?"  
  
**********************************************  
  
Harry felt stupidly blank, searching for an answer, while Leah continued her merciless explanation.  
"I mean, you are not such a respectful and serious daddy as Daddy John-Paul...  
\- Thanks!  
\- You are not such a loving daddy as Daddy Doug...  
\- OK...  
\- And obviously not such a funny daddy as Daddy Brendan  
\- Stop! who?  
\- ... who was far older than daddy...  
\- Excuse-me, you said Daddy Who?  
\- But it was not the same... you are really young... and you are still in school! like me!  
\- Well, that's true, but ...  
\- And I can't have a daddy in school, it is... shocking!  why is daddy doing that to me, choosing you!"  
  
Harry stopped and lowered himself to be the same level as Leah's face, trying to catch her eyes.  
"Why are you saying things like that? where does this come from?  
\- It is what they say, all of them..." Leah looked away, sighing, seeming so resigned.  
  
Harry felt something strange, as if he was looking at Leah with new eyes: she was exactly in the same situation as himself, facing gossip, mistakenly well-intentioned remarks and unwelcomed advice. Why couldn't these people let it go? why were they talking to a little girl about his dad and his new boyfriend? that was adults' mess, not a kid's business...  
Ok, if everybody could see him in this story as an adult too, it would be easier; but Leah was still a kid, and she had been taken into this against her will, without any choice. It wasn't fair at all!  
  
"Listen, I know that it is complicated, and that a lot of people are judging us, disapproving us, but it is simple, and natural, you know...  I am in love with your daddy, and he loves me too!"  
Harry shook his head in exasperation. "People can be happy with that, or not, but that changes nothing about our feelings! "  
Leah turned her head, looking him in the eyes, but remained silent.  
  
"Leah, I know that your daddy loves you very much, and I am sure that, whatever people are saying against your daddy, you will always love him, won't you?  
\- Yes!  
\- That's the same for me! he is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with, and because you are an essential part of his life, we will share a lot of time together. We will share your daddy, won’t we? and because we both love him, we must do the best for him, no?"  
Leah was now attentive to each of his words, and Harry thought that he was going in the right direction.  
"That's why we must cooperate, for him. What do you think?  
\- I don't know, it is strange...  
\- For me too! my twin siblings are far younger than you, do you remember?  
\- That's true, they are even younger than Lucas!"  
That should mean a lot to leah, as an elder sister... Harry smiled expectantly and stood up straight, grinning this time.  
"So, now that’s settled, what do you want to do? I mean, be honest, tell me what you'd really like to do. I don't really know what you usually do with Ste, but I am not your daddy, we can also do different things..."  
  
Leah seemed to deliberate for a long time, and Harry forced himself to stay quiet. She was taking his question seriously, after all. He felt impressed, this might be the first time that she was taking him seriously!  
"Well, if I were with mummy, I would say that it is a perfect day for the library...  
\- Library?" Harry tried to hide his surprise. "Hey, that’s perfect, I like books too, and I would appreciate to find new ones, I've already read everything on the Lomax's shelves!  
\- Really? and daddy has none, so you must be very unhappy!" Leah sounded complicit and hesitantly took Harry's hand.  
  
And the older one dind't comment, wisely...  
  
  
********************************************  
  
  
On their way back from Library, they were looking like old friends, or siblings.  
Nobody could have guessed they had a conflict before!  
  
Harry was feeling relieved, the first test had been won with panache , but he was now wondering if, next time, this would be this easy? or more likeky, as Hercule's dozen works, each situation would be like a test between him and Leah... was it like that for all parents? those who are raising their child every day, or was it more difficult for him, because he was not leah's father?  
  
Leah interrupted his doubts: "It is all to your credit that I have taken these old books!  
\- Books are never old", protested automatically Harry.  
\- I know that books aren't aging!" answered Leah with exasperation. "But these ones are speaking about old ages! why could I be interested in kids from WW2? or worst, a poor orphan girl from a century ago?"  
As a reminder, she shook her two borrowed books in front of Harry eyes: "The Chronicles of Narnia" and "Daddy Long Legs". He was the one who had chosen these books for her; in the library, and at this moment, Leah hadn't protested so loudly.  
OK, he was perhaps not so good at guessing what a young girl could like, but same causes are creating same effects, right? so why Leah wouldn't appreciate these stories as he did?  
  
Well, nobody could make him confess that he had secretly read Daddy Long Legs so many times... the hero was a girl, but they had so many things in common... Harry knew well how it does feel, being the one waiting hopelessly for a loving parent. OK, he was in a boarding house not an orphan house, he had his two parents alive, but the pain had been real, and his hopes never satisfied...  
This was too intimate to share with Leah, whatever their new relationship. So he preferred to answer only about the Narnia books.  
  
"What, who said Narnia is about old stories? here are insignificant kids trapped in a big house, who find a wonderful land where they are kings and queens... everyone dreams to be a warrior, a prince, a magician's friend... and do you forget about the films? why do you believe they are world-wide box-office bombs ?"  
  
*******************************************  
  
  
While climbing the stairs to the Lomaxes's flat, they bumped into Ste, now freed from any kids.  
"Hey, here you are! Leelah is with Rose and Lucas, and I was wondering where you were hiding, both of you! what have you..."  
  
Harry didn't wait for Ste ending his sentence, and climbing up, he took him in his arms and kissed him.  
"Waouh..." Ste glimpsed at Leah, searching for any disapproval look, but he only found her smiling.  
"OK, can one of you explain to me what happened today?  
\- Went to the library, got books, want to eat now!" Leah synthetized bluntly.  
  
Different expressions appeared on Ste's face, and Harry couldn't decipher why he would be sad, but Ste locked eyes with him and his lips silently told him the words "Thank you"  
  
Back in the flat, the kids busy devouring Ste's cooking, Harry and Ste were having some relief in the couch. Proud as a new father can be, Harry playfully asked his boyfriend :  
"So, did I honour my contract as a good dad this afternoon?"  
  
Ste looked thoughtful when he replied him: "Do you remember in the boarding house? before, uh, our first time? "  
Harry looked at him, surprised, and a bit affected by the memory. But Ste didn't wait for an answer.  
"I told you "you could have anybody, so why me?". And you know, I still wonder why you chose me, and how I can be so lucky that you still want me..."  
And Harry found himself speechless,  because he was often asking himself this secret question...


End file.
